June 30, 2008

True stability results when presumed order and presumed disorder are balanced. A truly stable system expects the unexpected, is prepared to be disrupted, waits to be transformed. -Tom Robbins

I give lessons in balance. I ask people to stand on one leg while they take their arms and other leg into heights of fancy. If they wobble and weave, I might suggest that they set their gaze on an inanimate object or brace themselves against a wall. Balance requires an active presence and offers a steady focus for the future.

I credit the teaching of yoga for much that I have learned about the practice and myself. I also credit Aadil Palkhivala for teaching me how to develop that art through his consistent message of "teaching with joy":

Our work is not merely to discover the expansiveness of hamstrings, but also to discover the expansiveness of heart. It is not merely to do a handstand without support, but also to do work such that, when the time comes, we are strong enough to stand up for ourselves, even when unsupported. It is not to hold a headstand alone in the center of the room, but to joyously uphold what we believe, even when we stand alone.(1)

And so, I seek balance of heart and mind just as I seek balance within my physical form. I envision a fulcrum serving as my inner, higher power. I might flail off to one end and without judgement or reprimand, it will guide me back toward the center. In some aspects of my life, I've stayed very close to the core, but in others it has been an active see-saw ride. The logo I created for Kona Yoga represents that fulcrum, that center, and my reminder.

Many of my lessons in balance were learned because, and in spite of, the fear of falling. Until one day, when I was quietly enjoying a stable moment, my "fulcrum" asked, "Have you ever noticed that your see-saw is less than a foot off the ground and have you ever considered taking me wherever you go?"

I give lessons in balance* and I take lessons in balance. Life is much more stable now, with less fear and less effort.

(1) from Fire of Love, Teaching the Essence of Yoga by Aadil Palkhivala, The Innerworks Co., (2006).

*Lessons in Balance include private yoga sessions, bodywork treatments, and wholistic health guidance. A page with information will appear soon at konayoga.com and a separate site, LessonsInBalance.com is now being developed. Aloha!

June 23, 2008

We deceive ourselves when we fancy that only weakness needs support. Strength needs it far more.-Anne Sophie Swetchine

We took our poses to the wall in Friday's yoga class: Trikonasana with the edge of the back foot supported by the wall; Parivrtta Trikonasana with our backs supported by the wall, etc. The objective was to allow the wall to provide stability and feedback and then learn to resume the postures away from the wall. We accepted support, allowed the support to reeducate us, and then appreciated the support, in absence.

Engage yoga as a metaphor to life and the wall becomes the assorted objects, habits, people, beliefs and relationships that support us. Some of these supports are grounding and stabilizing, others act as launching pads and offer the necessary thrust to move forward, and some we hang on to like a well-worn blanket or pacifier. We all have them, all of them.

As with yoga props, we want our life supports to offer safe methods of learning, strengthening and awareness. We want them to enhance our lives rather than absorb our ability to stand on our own. Luckily, the choice is ours and weaknesses are just areas waiting to be strengthened.

June 18, 2008

A happy life is just a string of happy moments. But most people don't allow the happy moment, because they're so busy trying to get a happy life.-Abraham

Have you ever listened to two versions of the same trip? One person speaks only of the flight delays, the uncomfortable pillows in every hotel room, ghastly cuisine and filthy streets teeming with rude people. The other person was on the same tour but speaks only of the beauty and grace of the country and its people. The trip gave him a deep sense of appreciation for his own life and living conditions. Same itinerary, worlds apart. Which one do you think goes home to a happy life?

There's another Abraham quote I love that says, "You cannot have a happy ending to an unhappy journey." Relief is what you might feel at the end of a long and arduous journey and I suppose many would confuse that with happiness. A lasting feeling of relief is more to my liking and at the same time, I realize that my journey could end tomorrow or it could go on for decades. The only part of the journey that I have any real power over is right now. Just a minute, just one happy minute. Let me string them together....it's the best travel insurance I could ever find!

June 11, 2008

We've received a new supply of the Mother Sequence books by Jehangir Palkhivala and they're available at the studio for $10 each. Also just in is a very limited supply of Samundari City, a children's book written by Jehangir's wife, Rashmi. The Palkhivalas reside in Mumbai, renamed Bombay by the Portuguese and changed back to Mumbai in 1995 (I learned that from the book) and Rashmi relays the city's history through the character of Samundari, a wave in the Arabian Sea.

Informative as it is entertaining, this book of over 150 pages is delightfully illustrated by Prakash Kurup. I think I'll use it as my guide/travel book when I make the trek to Mumbai...one day soon.

June 09, 2008

Is the glass half full, or half empty? It depends on whether you're pouring, or drinking.-Bill Cosby

"Being grateful for the wonderful things in your life literally helps you have a brain to be grateful for", says Daniel Amen, M.D., a clinical neuroscientist, psychiatrist and brain-imaging expert, in his book Making A Good Brain Great. Amen utilizes SPECT images of brains to evaluate its outside surfaces and underactive areas. He says that the basic principles to keep in mind are:

The brain is involved in everything you do. How you think, how you feel, how you act, and how well you get along with other people has to do with the moment-by- moment functioning of your brain.

When your brain works right, you tend to be effective, thoughtful, creative and energetic.

When the brain is troubled, you may have problems with depression, anxiety, work performance, impulsivity, memory and relationships.

Your brain dysfunction, even when subtle, may be getting in your way of success.

Your brain has only so much reserve. A lifetime of abuse or neglect (smoking, too much caffeine or alcohol, drug abuse, brain injuries, excessive stress) all add up and take years of healthy mental functioning away from you.

With the right plan, you can reverse damage and optimize your own brain and subsequently improve your life.

You (and your brain) can be better than you are, even if you are already in good shape!

I love it when high-tech meets high-touch. Dr. Amen theorizes that low cerebellar activity is associated with decreased motor and thought coordination and that negative thought patterns change the brain in a negative way. He also says that it is critical to visualize what you want and then match your behavior over time to get it! Stimulate your brain and it works better.

Dr. Amen's book thoroughly goes through the different areas of your brain and the effects of low activity in each. He tells you how to identify and then reduce the risks of the diseases of brain aging such as dementia and Alzheimer's. I suggest you get a copy of his book if you're interested in being "all here" for the rest of your life.

The bottom line though for any life enhancing exercise, diet or magic potion, in my opinion, is this: if it is practiced in fear, anger, or force, it's useless. Maybe even harmful. See your glass as being half full and think of everything that you are truly grateful for. SPECT images prove that healthy, active brains belong to those who hold such thoughts. Prayers go up, blessings come down.

June 06, 2008

Today being June 6 (6/6) it's time for another Groundhog Day Resolutions review and I'm happy to report that I think I'm getting close to the treasure. I set out to focus on just two things: (1) the daily practice of a prescribed yoga sequence and (2) eating mainly raw fruits and vegetables during the day. The first half of the year, I discovered that the challenges I faced were due to long established and adhered to habits. If I want fresh fruits and veggies available at all times, I better plan my meals and make more frequent shopping trips. Otherwise, my choices are thinner than an onion peel.

Brain experts caution that practice does not make perfect. By learning to do something well at the start, it prevents us from developing erroneous or coping habits and therefore perfect practice makes perfect. The Mother Sequence has been the perfect practice for me but it's been a challenge just to show up. I have learned to give my practice priority status and as a result, we have an additional weekly yoga class and I have also gained an appreciation for the busy life and tools that I created, pre-yoga.

What has happened in the last thirty days is the realization that all of the tugging and grasping that went on in the first few months of this year was vital to fitting into my intended self. I threw a vision of what I wanted out into the future and then found that I had to grow and adjust myself to fit the picture. When I began my Year of Living Delightfully, I had a strong notion that the two things I had decided to focus upon, would make broad stroke changes. I set off on what I thought would be a noble, long trek and I have ended up in an entirely new state of being. The funny thing is, I had to give up the idea of completing my noble, long trek before I could recognize how far I have come.

June 04, 2008

This is Mouna Ghoussoub who teaches Chi Gong on Sunday evenings at Kona Yoga. Mouna grew up in Lebanon and moved to the U.S. in 1988. After spending some time in California and Washington state, she followed a friend's advice to come and visit the Big Island. A planned month-long trip has lasted four years, and counting. Mouna is also a Chi Nei Tsang practitioner and sees clients at Kona Yoga.

When she's not at the studio, you might find her at Eden (one of my favorite stores) in the Kopiko Plaza or in the deep blue with Deron (one of Mouna's favorite people).

Contact Mouna for information on her classes, to make an appointment for a Chi Nei Tsang treatment or just to say "Aloha".

June 02, 2008

I can teach anybody how to get what they want out of life. The problem is that I can't find anybody who can tell me what they want.-Mark Twain

I've been reading and writing a lot for myself during the past month, as the skimpy number of postings on the Kona Yoga blog will verify. I've been renewing my practice of scripting, which in the past I viewed as a "to-do list" on growth hormones. There was a time in my life when I had to make a list at the beginning of the week and at the start of each day and I read somewhere (!) that writing a script, or a descriptive and detailed wish list, would help.

A lot like writing a future diary or journal, my weekly scripts listed ten items that I either received or finished that week. When I employed them, my scripts were at least 60-70% successful. But I gave up the practice when I shelved my day-planner, my HP calculator, and all of the things I had to do.

In the last few years, I have learned to think about things that I want to do, or be, or have. Just by changing one word, I've changed a lifetime of habitual thought patterns. There's a tremendous difference between "I have to breathe" and "I want to breathe"!

If you take a look at the week ahead of you and your list of tasks or appointments and start each item off by saying "I want to..", you may find that either your life is full of things that other people want you to do or you might find that your attitude about a meeting or phone call might change. What do you want as a result? How do you want to feel while doing it?

I went from a long list of "have-to's", to no lists and now I'm learning to look for more things to fill a list of "want-to's". I want to share more of this in a longer, more detailed format so I'm going back to the drawing board. If you'd like to read more, let me know and I'll send you a finished copy.